# small fry

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/small-fry
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

One or more relatively small and insignificant individuals or things of relatively little consequence, importance, or value.

## Examples

- Don't worry about those small fry in the meeting.
- The police are ignoring the small fry to focus on the leaders of the criminal organization.
- While the media focused on the small fry, the true architects of the financial scandal remained hidden from public scrutiny.

## Origin

From small + fry, first use appears c. 1577, in the publications of John Dee.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.